Carpet-sweeper.



J. H. TOWNSEND.

CARPET SWEEPER. APPLICATION FILED 11111.12, 1910.

989,083, Patented Apr. 11, 1911.

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CARPET SWEEPBR.

APPLICATION rum) ran. 12, 1910.

989,083. Patented-Apr. 11, 1911.

3 BHEBTS-BHEBT 2.

J. H. TOWNSEND.

CARPET SWEEPER.

APPLIOATION FILED r2342, 1910.

Patented Apr. 11, 1911.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

JAMES H. TOWNSEND, 0F GLOVERSVILLE, NEW YORK.

CARPET-SWEEPER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 11, 1911.

Application filed February 12, 1910. Serial No. 543,429.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES H. TOWNSEND, a citizen of thefUnited States,residing at Grlo'versville, county of Fulton, and State of New York,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Carpet-Sweepers, ofwhich the following is a specification.

The invention relates to such improvements and consists of the novelconstruction and combination of parts hereinafter described andsubsequently claimed.

Reference may be had to the accompanying drawings, and the referencecharacters marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.Similar characters refer to similar parts in the several figurestherein.

Figure 1 of the drawings "is a top plan view of my improvedcarpet-sweeper with the handle and parts mounted thereon broken away forconvenience of illustration. Fig. 2 is a View in side elevation of thesame. Fig. 3 is a view in front elevation of the same. Fig. 4 is avertical longitudinal section of the same taken on the broken line 44 inFig. 1, with the long handle removed, its relative position in use beingindicated by dotted lines.

Certain of the objects of the invention are to facilitate sweeping inclose proximity to the base-board or furniture in a room 3. to provide areadily portable, hand-operated device having a receptacle for sweepingswhich can be used either with a hand-open ated rotatory brush forming apart of the device, or with a separate brush or broom; and to provide aportable sweeping device having a rotatory brush with means forsupporting and operating the same by hand, either at a point near thefloor by a person stooping, or at a higher point convenient to a personin a more erect position.

Other objects Will appear in connection with the following description.

In carrying out the invention, I provide a dust-pan or receptacle forsweepings with a handle attached directly thereto, and also with alonger handle removably attached thereto; a brush rotatively mounted andmovable into and out of a position to cooperate with said dust-pan;means mounted upon said dust-pan for rotating said brush by hand; andhand-operated means mounted on said removable handle through which thebrush-rotating mechanism mounted on the dust-pan can be operated.

Referring to the drawings wherein the invention is shown in preferredform, 1, represents a sweepings-receptacle or dust-pan having fixed atthe back thereof a handle, 2, which may be of any known form, andwhereby the pan may be lifted and held in any desired position.

The dust-pan is covered by a hood or lid, 3, pivotally mounted upon thecross-shaft, 4,

carried by the dust-pan, the side-walls, 5, of

the hood forming bearing-supports for the opposite ends of a rotatorybrush-shaft 6. A cylindrical brush, 15, is fixed upon the brush-shaft,6, to rotate therewith.

The hood and the brush carried thereby can be swung vertically so as tooccupy either the position shown by solid lines or that indicated bydotted lines in Fig. 4.

The hood is adapted to be supported in raised position as indicated bydotted lines in Fig. 4, by the engagement of a pin, 7, carried by thehood with a spring-plate, 8, having an aperture adapted to receive saidpin. The spring-plate, 8, can be pushed by hand out of engagement withthe pin, 7, permit ting the rotatory brush to be swung down intoposition to cooperate with the dust-pan.

Fixed upon one end of the brush-supporting shaft, 6, is a sprocket, 9,connected by chain, 10, with a sprocket, l1, fixed upon the shaft, 4,which shaft is rotatively mounted upon the dust-pan and has fixed uponits opposite ends a pair of wheels, 12 and 13, which may be used assupporting wheels for the pan, and when so used serve as the means forautomatically rotating the brush.

The device thus far described can be used in the manner of an ordinarycarpet-sweeper by a person stooping to grasp the handle, 2, whereby thedevice can be pushed along the floor; or the handle can be grasped in asimilar manner and the dust-pan supported with its front edge restingupon the floor, and the wheels, 12 and 13, slightly raised from thefloor, as shown in Fig. 4, in which position the rotation of the brushcan be accomplished by turning the wheel, 12, by means of thecrank-handle, 14, thereon.

Said device can also be used as an ordinary dust-pan by swinging thehood and brush upward to the position indicated by dotted lines in Fig.4, in which case the sweepings can be brushed into the dust-pan by anordinary broom or brush-broom.

To adapt the device to be operated by a person in a substantially erectposition, I have provided a removable handle attachment, 16, terminatingat its lower end in a yoke, 17 having near, the :ends ofitsside-t arms,18, apertures adapted to receive the the wheels, 12 and 13. Tharms, 18,of the handle yoke, project somewhat beyond the tanee from "the axisof-the shaft,*4, thant-he peripheries of the wheels -12-and'13,'respectively. By sufficientlyraising the 'removable hand'le ,*-16,ithewheels; 19, can; be

brought into engagement 1:. with the floor, causing-the -wheels, 12 and13,, to be slightly raised'frdm the floor, as indicated in Fig; 4,while, by' loweringthe l1& 11lletO01 below of the crank-handle; 29, or-'of the crankit the position'shown i-n Figw2ysaid wheels,

19, can be raisedfromthe floor a suflici'entdistance to permit thewheels, 12 a and 13, to

The removable handle, 16, can ;bete1npo:-

rarily {locked-to the. dust-p an, whereby they are "supported as asubstantially rigid elementyby means ofa slide-bolt, 20,- slidably 30lectedne-of a plurality of apertures, 521', formed? in aplate,*22,--'fixed" upon the body of -the"--dust--pan;- VVhen-the bolt,120-,- is insertedin' one ofxthe apertures, 21,: the dus't-pancan'bemoved'froin'place to place by means'of'gthe. handle, '16, whilemaintain:

tainsian-erectattitude; or,-'if desired, the.

hood, 3, "maybeswungup'to the position indicated bydot'ted lines inFig;4, and-the dust-pan held in engagement with the floor by meansofthehandle, 16, which'is grasped to provide the removable handle'withhand operated meansfor rotating the-shaft, 4, and

the brush sha'ft which-is connected -there-'--- withi For this purpose Imount" upon the handle, 16, a rotatoryshaft "comprisingran upperimember,24, anda lower' member,--25, flexibly connectedtogetherat, 26, -'and'ro.-

tatively jmounted' in"bearings; 27 and 28:-

Th'e upplerxendof" the-'shaftfi24, has fixed thereona crank-handley29,and-the-lower bearing-apertures"which receive the ends of the shaft, '4,and have rotatively "mounted mounted upon :the shaft of the=handle, 16,with its'lower-"end adaptedto enter a se-:-

-- jects," as =-frequentlyEhappens in the: use of shaft; and bearingsupports -for said brushcarried by said hood.

end .ofthe shaft, 25, has fixed thereon a beveled ,pinion, -30, adaptedto engage a beveled gear, 31, rotatively mounted on the.arn1-,=118,;;o,f; the handle-yoke adjacent to the wheel, 12, which isprovided with the crankhandle-M14.- The beveled gear, 31, is ,;so:-

mounted, concentrically with the bearinga'perture which receivestheneighboring end of the shaft, 4; and said gear-wheel carrles a lug, 32,adaptedtotengage said 'cranka handle; 14, to cause t he"wheel,-12, torotate in unison-with the beveled -gear 312 Whenthedevice-is used-inthis manner, the'h-and-le," 16, is swung upward at A such an angle thattl1e-'wheels,--19,'- engagethe floor, so as "to lift the wheels,- 12andl3, fIOHTftllQfiOOI;'Tlii;

'- device -oan thus' be i moved along the floor upon the 'wheels, '19,while the brush is ro 'tated as rapidly as desired by hand-opera---=-tion of the crank 29.

Whether the brush be operated by means handle, 14, the brush can brerotated more or less rapidly Without regard to therapidity or direction"of movement -ofthe dustrpam'; The device can thus be moved towardrand"from thebase-board or a piecenof'furnitulfey or rapidly rotated'foras-long timeasrnaybe desired in -eloseproximity to such object while thedust pan, is held stationary. It is thuspossibl-e to sweep verycloselyetosuchobj-ectswithout danger of injurious engagement of the"sweeping-device with 1 such ob ordinary-carpet=sweepers *inWhillillflObflr tion of the brush is inducedonly by-'-a pro=-- gressivemovement of the --apparatus'ias-- a whole.1--

The? bearing-supports for the brush-shaft being oscillatory about-thelaxis ofthe shaft," 4, the chain and sprocket--connections be--- are notinterfered with'in raising and-lowering the-hood 3.

The heightofethe brushdn use can be. regulated-bymeans ofa lever, 35,fulcrumed at, 36; upon the side of the dust pan, having end offset asindicated by dotted lines in Fig- 1 adapted to besprungiinto -oneofaseriesof by one hand of the user, while sweepings are A depositedtherein by means of an ordinary: brush or broom wielded by'theother-handof the user=o-f the device. I prefer, however,

erating-conneotions between said brush and said-shaft; a hood for-saidpan-pivotally mounted thereon concentrically witlr -said 2. In asweeper, and in combination, a dust-pan; a pair of wheels upon whichsaid pan is mounted; a brush rotatively mounted and operativelyconnected with one of said wheels; a crank-handle on said wheel; ahandle removably connected with said pan; and hand-operated mechanismmounted upon said handle having a member engageable with thecrank-handle on said wheel for rotating the latter.

3. In a sweeper, and in combination, a dust-pan; a pair of wheels uponwhich said pan is mounted; a rotatory brush operatively connected withone of said wheels; a handle pivotally mounted upon said panconcentrically with said wheels; hand-operated mechanism mounted on saidhandle for producing rotation of said wheel; a pair of wheels mountedupon said handle to project beyond the periphery of the wheels uponwhich said pan is mounted, and adapted to be brought into engagementwith the floor by a swinging movement of said handle.

4. In a sweeper, and in combination, a dust-pan; a pair of wheels uponwhich said pan is mounted; a rotatory brush operatively connected withone of said wheels; a handle pivotally mounted upon said panconcentrically with said wheels; hand-operated mechanism mounted on saidhandle for inducing rotation of said wheel; a pair of wheels mountedupon said handle to project beyond the periphery of the wheels uponwhich said pan is mounted, and adapted to be brought into engagementwith the floor by a swinging movement of said handle; and means fortemporarily locking together said handle and dust-pan in selectedrelative rotative positions.

5. In a sweeper, and in combination, a dust-pan; a pair of wheels uponwhich said pan is mounted; a rotatory brush operatively connected withone of said wheels; a handle pivotally mounted upon said panconcentrically with said wheels; hand-operated mechanism mounted on saidhandle for producing rotation of said wheel; a pair of wheels mountedupon said handle to project beyond the periphery of the wheels uponwhich said pan is mounted, and adapted to be brought into engagementwith the floor by a swinging movement of said handle; and a slide-boltcarried by said handle adapted to temporarily lock together said handleand pan in a selected relative rotative position thereof.

6. In a sweeper, and in combination, a dust-pan; a pair of wheels uponwhich said pan is mounted a rotatory brush operatively connected withone of said wheels; a handle mounted upon said pan; floor-engaging meanscarried by said handle whereby said wheel can be raised from the floor;a flexible shaft rotatively mounted on said handle; an operating crankon the upper end of said shaft; a beveled pinion on the lower end ofsaid shaft; a beveled gear engageable with said pinion rotativelymounted on said handle concentrically with said wheel; and interengagingmeans on said beveled gear and wheels.

7. In a sweeper, and in combination, a dust-pan; a pair of wheels uponwhich said pan is mounted; a rotatory brush operatively connected withone of said wheels; a handle mounted upon said pan; floor-engaging meanscarried by said handle whereby said wheel can be raised from the floor;and hand-operated mechanism mounted on said handle for producingrotation of said wheel when so raised from the floor.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand this 8th day ofFebruary, 1910.

JAMES H. TOWVN SEND.

WVitnesses:

ALIcn M. SUTLIFF, EZRA A. SUTLIFF.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents. Washington, D. C.

